Finish More Geese with Better Concealment

Unless you are hooked on chasing Canada goose, it is hard to explain the enthusiasm for hunting that starts to develop in late summer. If you are a goose hunter, you know exactly what I am referring to. For us goose hunting junkies, the off season is always too long.

When you enjoy hunting geese as much as I do, you look for every article you can find on goose hunting strategies. You also welcome conversations that revolve around the sport of chasing geese.

It was over lunch this past summer that I had a lengthy conversation about goose hunting with hunting specialist, Chad Allen. Allen is someone that not only loves all aspects of hunting, he has also turned his enthusiasm for the sport into a business called "Barrels Up." This internet shopping site for outdoor gear is loaded with quality merchandise and worth checking out.

Although Allen and I hashed over many different topics, we spent considerable time discussing concealment. Allen is convinced that hunters hurt their chances by not paying enough attention to concealment.

Like most hunters, Allen utilizes layout blinds. He likes the versatility of being able to use them in nearly any type of field and appreciates being able conceal the blinds with material that is indigenous to the field being hunted.

Allen also commented that he has started using Killer Weed bundles for a base covering. Killer weed or Raffia grass can be purchased in different colors or spray painted to achieve the desired coloration.

Another hunter that will echo Allen's thought on concealment is waterfowl guide, Brian Cahalan, from Goose and Duck Smackers Guide Service. Cahalan is in the business of bringing success to his clients and knows it all starts with concealment.

Last fall, while hunting Mississippi River backwaters with Cahalan, I had a chance to witness firsthand the incredible time and effort he puts into concealment. His boat was a floating blind that was covered with natural vegetation as well as Raffia grass.

When picking our shoreline set-up, Cahalan was very particular about choosing a location that helped break up the outline of his boat. And it worked! Even though the mallards were not flying hot and heavy that day, the ones that did come by were completely fooled by the concealment of our boat and blind.

Over the years, I have had a number of opportunities to hunt from some type of pit. If done right, the low or no profile of a pit can greatly increase your hunting success. It quickly makes one realize that wary geese are not all that wary if they do not see danger mixed in with the spread.

When I take hunters with me to the field, I am very fussy about their strategy for becoming invisible. I am not afraid to criticize a fellow hunter if I think they are not concealed well enough. This includes a well covered blind and facemask or a mesh screen to hide the glare of a shiny face.

Most hunters invest a lot of capital in their hunting gear. However, all too often they don't go the extra distance to make sure they are properly concealed. Lack of concealment may be the most common mistake made by goose hunters.

Jerry Carlson

Jerry started his outdoor career in 1987 when he began writing for Outdoors Weekly. He currently writes about a 130 articles a year for various publications in the Midwest. In addition to writing and giving numerous hunting and fishing seminars, Jerry does weekly radio shows on two St. Cloud, Minnesota stations; WJON and WWJO. He also authored a book called Details for Locating and Catching Fish. Hunting and fishing photos and articles written by Jerry, along with his email address, can be found at jerrycarlsonoutdoors.com. Jerry fishes all species but prefers crappies in the winter and bass in the summer. He also loves to hunt Canada geese in the fall.